"In his fifth collection of Plays, the work ranges from a spirited, raging drama that investigates police corruption in Jamaica through to two thrilling monologue plays written either side of the Covid-19 pandemic, first presented at London's National Theatre. The political and the personal are drawn together effectively throughout, offering a rich selection of work that showcase Williams's unique talent."-- Provided by publisher
'[Williams's] plays have brought the experience of black urban youth onto the stage' Observer Sucker Punch: 'As usual with Williams, the dialogue is crisp and bespoke: motives are mixed, nobody is a hero, nothing is just black and white.' The Times Joe Guy: 'Williams's dialogue ricochets around the stage like gunfire . . . energetic, exciting and entertaining.' Stage Category B: 'Category B is a harrowing play, but one shot through with both dark humour and tentative flickers of hope'. Daily Telegraph Baby Girl: 'The shocking thing about Roy Williams's Baby Girl is that it argues that there is a cyclical pattern to teenage pregnancy . . . Williams paints a rivetingly plausible picture of a world in which mothers and daughters are sexual rivals, 'virgin' is the ultimate peer insult and the school gates are a fertile hunting ground for male predators.' Guardian There's Only One Wayne Matthews: 'Williams's writing is punchy . . . Wayne's gradual understanding of the realities of the world make this a touching coming-of-age drama.' Guardian
Look at it Carly, look at our dream.No one's happy Denise.There are two sides to every story.Grieving the loss of the family shop and their dreams destroyed, Denise and daughter-in-law Carly are left to pick up the pieces of their relatives' mistakes.Will all be forgiven?Jo Martin (Doctor Who) and Hayley Squires (I, Daniel Blake) play Denise and Carly in this thought-provoking drama that explores family dynamics, race, colonialism and cancel culture.Clint Dyer (Othello) and Roy Williams (Sucker Punch) reunite to write this powerful new play, the final, standalone chapter of the award-winning Death of England series.This edition was published to coincide with the world premiere at the National's Dorfman Theatre, London, in September 2023.
"Roy Williams's fierce and excoriating portrait of British racism is set in a south-west London pub, during the 2000 England vs. Germany match. As England lose again, their supporters in The King George lose it too - at full time, patriotism has become unapologetic racism. Fueling the xenophobic tensions is the blind venom of Lawrie, captain of the pub team; the articulate propaganda of Alan, active member of an anti-immigration party; and the hatred of Glen the landlady's son, bullied and confused. The dialogue snaps with alarming authenticity in Williams's challenging play about what it means to be British and how people define it - whether it is a bulldog tattoo or violence against those who don't fit in. Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads premiered in 2002 at the Royal National Theatre, London. It is published here in a Student Edition alongside commentary and notes by Gemma Edwards, University of Nottingham, UK"--
Why should we believe in God? It is a question that is profoundly engaging the minds of the world. Former lawyer, Roy Williams, contends that belief should be based on logical deductions from known facts: it is not a matter of blind faith. Using many examples drawn from science, politics, history, sociology and the arts, he tackles all the biggest questions by appealing to evidence and to reason. A recurring theme of the book is the vital place of doubt and uncertainty in God's creation. Rebutting the arguments of atheists such as Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, Williams explores the role of faith, which he considers a much-misunderstood concept.
When Creon refuses to bury the body of Antigone's unruly brother, Antigone's anger quickly turns to defiance. Creon condemns her to a torturous death: she's to be buried alive. Acclaimed playwright Roy Williams takes Sophocles' play and, by placing it into a contemporary setting, brings this classic tale vividly to life. A timeless story about loyalty and truth, about how we make meaning out of life and death, and what in the end really does matter. Roy Williams's adaptation of Antigone received its world premiere at Derby Theatre, in a co-production between Pilot Theatre, Derby Theatre and Theatre Royal, Stratford East, before going on a national tour. This new, edited edition is published for the first time in Methuen Drama's Plays for Young People series, aimed at 16-18 year olds.
Me jumping out of the van, was the beginning of a very bad day for me. I just didn't know it, but I was going to know it, in about four minutes, I was going to know, fer trut. 2020. Delroy is arrested on his way to the hospital. Filled with anger and grief, he recalls the moments and relationships that gave him hope before his life was irrevocably changed. Written in response to their play Death of England, Death of England: Delroy is a new standalone work by Clint Dyer and Roy Williams, which follows a Black working-class man searching for truth and confronting his relationship with White Britain. This edition was published to coincide with the world premiere of Death of England: Delroy, at the National Theatre in 2020. The production was the first play to reopen the theatre following the Coronavirus pandemic.